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New trademarks are always great fodder for the old rumor mill, and this one is no different. Nintendo has trademarked the name “Nintendo V-Pocket”, with an emphasis on the “V” as you can se in the logo. Now, what exactly is it? Some think it may be related to the plan Nintendo may have to put the Palm OS on the Nintendo DS. Others believe it may have to do with the much talked about Nintendo DS wireless network that the Big N is supposedly cooking up. It could simply be the name of the GBA/Nintendo DS video player add-on. Whatever it is, I am 99% sure it is DS related, as the logo uses the DS style font. Of course, being that it is now February, prepare to hear the words “we’ll see at E3” quite a bit.

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According to Eurogamer, Microsoft’s next generation gaming system which rumored to be called XBOX 360, will be released in the fourth quarter 2005 in the UK. What does that mean for the States? The U.S. launch date will most likely be on target with this launch window. Of course, we havebeen sayingthis for months. Expect retailers to start taking pre-orders shortly after E3, so start saving up now.

Big news out of the STI camp today, as they finally took the wraps off of the Cell processor that we have heard so much about over the past year as it relates to the Playstation 3. However, what you may not have known is that the Cell will have a major impact on much more than just the videogame industry. You see, the Cell is a major evolution in processor technology, and companies like Intel, AMD, nVidia, ATI are all taking watch. STI just one upped them all in a major way. I have taken the liberty of rounding up some of the more interesting articles from all over the interweb that will help you understand just what the Cell is all about:

Alright all you Playstation fanboys - you will not have to wait until E3 to catch a glimpse of Sony’s highly anticipated next generation console. Sony’s Playstation 3 will be unveiled at an unspecified event sometime before May 18, 2005. Sony representatives confirmed that they will have an event planned where they will premier the PS3, but haven’t given the specifics. The race between next generation gaming systems is beginning to heat up and will only continue to do so as we approach E3.

We’ve had a tremendous response to our last article on the PSP…so much so that we had to write about Sony’s upcoming handeld again. But in the spirit of objectivity, we’re obligated to show you the other side of the coin…the side Sony doesn’t want you to see. As much as the PSP has been praised, we’re not blind to its faults. In fact, people may have more reasons to hate it than to love it come March 24th.

By the way, do you have thoughts on whether the DS or PSP is the better platform? If so, chime in on the forums.

This one is for all you Nintendo fans out there - it looks like the company is planning to open up a Nintendo branded concept store at Rockeffeller Center, NY. A quick look at Nintendo’s jobs page at their corporate website confirms this, as they are seeking a Retail Store Manager to oversee the new project. Obviously, if this goes well, we may see more NIntendo Stores open across the country similar to the way Apple Stores caught on. This is a bold move by Nintendo, as the company has certainly lost some ground in the United States videogame arena to Microsoft and Sony.

Sony has announced that more than 24 games will launch on March 24th with its latest handheld, Playstation Portable. An additional 23 titles are being developed. At prices as low as $39.99, there something for everyone in this line up.

Good news for all you Family Guy fanatics. Twentieth Century Fox announced today that they will allow Take-Two Interactive Software and Airborne Entertainment to produce new Family Guy video games. Take-Two will produce multiple platform video games while Airborne Entertainment will introduce new mobile phone content for enjoyment of the Griffins on the go. The new video game will be a third person action/adventure where players take the role of characters such as Stewie, Brian the Dog, and Peter as they interact with the citizens of Quahog. The expected release will be in 2006. Until we see some updates, we can only assume this will be something like The Simpsons video games as it is a third-person adventure.

Okay, I know this isn’t the Revolution - but we all know that Nintendo has been talking a lot about how they plan to introduce a new way of playing games with their next generation console. Many a gamer has been scratching their head, theorizing on what exactly the technology would bring to the table. As soon as I saw this video, I thought “THAT"S revolutionary.” Check it out - Total Immersion’s D’Fusion software solution allows for real-time video capture and perfect merges between video streams and 3D objects. All you need is a camera, a few sensors, and a HUD. This turns your world into an immersive gaming experience, where you are IN the game…or where the game is all around you. Words cant really describe this, so just check out the video. What do you think?

Two big announcements from Sony in just as many days, cool! Sony’s much-anticipated new handheld, the PSP, is coming to the US on March 24th. It’s coming in Value Pack form only, which includes a 32 MB Memory Stick Duo, headphones with remote control, battery pack, AC adaptor, soft case and cleaning cloth, movie/music/game video sampler UMD disc. Those who have already pre-ordered are getting an extra treat: The first one million PSP Value Packs will include a special UMD video release of the feature film Spider-Man 2 from Sony Pictures Entertainment. Now, ready for the bummer? The price of the Value Pack is going to be $249.99, almost $50-100 more than many expected it to retail for.